Method of cultivation of plants



Ava Vi, 1943. P. C. MCLEMQRE 293221204 METHOD 0F CUL'I.IV1\TIOI\I OF PLANTS Filed Oct. l1, 1939 2 Sheets-snaai l Patented ug. 17, 1943 UNlTED STTES 'r is METHOD OF CULTIVA'ION 0F PLANTS Mice Chrcnleigh McLemore, Montgomery, Ala.

Application (lctobel' 11, 1939, Serial No. 298,870

23 Claims. (Cl. 47-58) My invention relates to a method of cultivation of plants.

While the specific illustration and detailed description is directed to the cultivation of cotion plants. it is to be understood that this is by way of exemplication and not by way of limitation. The invention is applicable to the cultivation oi other crops, such as corn, legumes, potatoes, tomatoes, sugar cane, and even to crops such as beets. It may be applied to t-he cultivation of annual plants or perennial plants, and even to such types as bushes and trees, if desired, particularly when it concerns the problern of suppressing volunteer vegetation such as weeds or casual or incidental plants, as against those intended to constitute the crop or to furthe crop.

Also, while the method herein disclosed is particularly applicable to the cultivation of-row crops, the invention in its broader aspect is not limited to row crops, as will be apparent hereinafter.

The principle upon which my invention proceeds is the discovery that there is a marked difference in the resistivity of plants to the application of heat, particularly heat at high temperature. It is known that frost and cold aiect various plants quite differently. I nd that there are at least equal differences in their reaction to applied heat, although the differences in reaction are intensified, according to my invention, inasmuch as the heat is applied under control as to place or point of application, as Well as in respect to time. volume and intensity. The plant. that will endure cold does not necessarily react in the saine manner to applied high tcmperature.

l have found that by the application of heat under suitable control, as to time, temperature, volume. and point or region of application, cerfain ci the varieties in stand of vegeta-tion of mixed character may be selectively destroyed. The useful application of the principle involved in my invention resides not so much in the natural resistance to hotter or colder climates of different kinds of plants or vegetation, but rathcr ,in the different effect of, or reaction to suddenly rapidly applied heat, particularly at high temperatures. that is. applied at a high temperalure diicrcntial. The present process is comparable to sineeine'. The shape of a blade o crass is such that it presents a large area for a given volume, and also, each point in its cross section is at only a. minimum distance from the surface. Hence when a llame is applied to both grass blades and to a stemmed plant, the grass may be cooked, scorched and burned before the stemmed plant receives substantial injury, This results chieiiy from the shape of the subject treated. Rapidly applied heat, that is, a high temperature gradient, will also selectively act as between a smaller plant and larger plant oi the same species.

This principle of selective reaction to applied high temperature finds its most useful, though by no means only, application to the cultivation of row crops such as cotton, and it has particular value in the case o cotton for reasons some of which will hereinafter appear. s

The type of plant which lends itself most readily to this mode of cultivation that which Within a short Jtime, say a few Weeks after planting, growssuiiciently and is of such a character that it will produce or develop a stem system that is materially larger in body, both as to diameter and as to height, than the obnoxious vegetation which is to be destroyed or inhibited.

Advantage may be taken in the diierential in growth between the stem plant and the grass or other obnoxious vegetation by setting out young plants instead of growing the plants in place from seed. For a crop such as cotton. which if protected from freezing will produce fory several yea-rs on the same root and stem system, the differential in size may be obtained at an earlier date than would be possible from seed grown plants. Since, however, most row crops arc grown in place from seed, the specific descrip- 'tion of an embodiment of my invention herein set forth asstunes seed planting. Since an initial rapid growth, or an advanced sta-ge of growth are favorable factors, I intend the same to be included within the scope oi the present invention. The process method of my present invention nds particular application on any row crop which, by natural or articial means, may be made to yield a stem system which is materially larger, and hence more heat resistant, than the accompanying obnoxious vegetation.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a method of cultivating crops, particularly such as cotton, at a lower cost than at present attainable.

It has heretofore been attempted to mechanize certain steps in the production of cotton fiber. The original bottle-neck in the production of cotton was in the separation of the seeds from the ber, which was solved by the cotton gin. The planting of the seeds by machinery is, of course, a simple matter. Harvesting the cotton, as by mechanical cotton pickers, is a demonstrated possibility but for the present is uli-economic for the reason that up to the present time no adequate and universally applicable mechanical device for destroying or inhibiting the growth of obnoxious vegetation. such as grass and Weeds, been developed. Hence hand operation, (the .so-called hand chopping of cotton) has been unavoidable. With the requirement for human labor in chopping the cotton there is little eco nomic advantage in use of a mechanical cotton picker when the labor available for that step must be maintained on account of the necessity for chopping the cotton in the earlier stages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of cultivating cotton by .machinery so that hand chopping may be dispensed with and the entire operation of raising and har vesting cotton may be mechanized.

A further object of the invent-ion is to improve the crop in quality and yield. By the use of the f nt method, less disturbance of the root syso the cotton plant is occasioned, and the proceeds .more rapidly. Also, less waste of is entailed by the use of the present process, and I have found that crops such as cotton which normally require considerable quantities of chemical fertilizers to insure normal yield and duality. may be cultivated with a material reduction in the quantity of fertilizer required. This reduction in quantity of fertilizer is accomplished by the more eieetive removal of the obnoxious vegetation than heretofore was possible. The reduction in the amount of ferti` lizer use: may also in part be due to transformalions. either chemical or physical, in the fertilizer due to the heat employed, with the result that the active constituents are rendered better available to the plants throughout their growing period, instead of being lost by solution in rain or other irrigation waters.

An incidental object of the invention is the destruction of insect pests such as the weevil, the cut worm, army worm, the grasshopper` etc., whereby control over these destructive insects is effected to marked degree.

In the preferred practice of my invention heat l" generated in the form of a blast of flame which caused to impinge upon the ground alongside of ihe plants in the row in such a manner as to destroy the obnoxious vegetation without at the time doing any substantial injury to the row c op plants. l do not intend to limit the broader ees of the invention to the preferredmethod oi' generating and applying heat, since other modes of furnishir-.fr the necessary heat will be appa rent to those skilled in the art.

New in order to acquaint those skilled in the :rt with the method of my invention I shall debe. in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. specific example thereof.

In the drawines:

Figure l a side elevational view, more or less diagrammatic. of an apparatus suitable for pracrisingLv the method of my invention, comprising a tractor pro .ded with burners and fuel supply 'llef'flz,

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of the variations in size of cross section atleet the resistivity to high temperatures;

Figure 5 illustrate how the same plant at different stages of growth has diierent resistivity to applied high temperatures; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary illustration of a modication of the apparatus shown in Figures l and 2 Where the burners are carried in advance of the tractor.

As a, specific example of my invention, the cultivation of cotton according to the present in` vention will now be described.

The field to be planted is plowed. bedded and planted as usual, with the exception that, preierably, care is taken to produce as fiat a seed bed as possible. In general, planting should follow immediately after bedding in order to insure a clean seed bed. As soon as the Cotton reaches a good and full stand it is first plowed and the dirt thrown baclr towards the cotton. During the next several weeks the cotton should be plowed as often as may be necessary to prevent the growth of obnoxious vegetation, preferably at least once week. While not essential, materially improved results are obtained if as much dirt as possible, without covering the plant, is thrown around the cotton by each plowing operation. Cultivation is continued in this manner until the cotton plant `nas four leaves, r, in other words, is about four weeks old. At about this stage of growth the plants may be blocked into a stand of hills each containing four to six stalks. Blocking may be done in a number of. ways, for example, by plowing across the rows in such a manner as to cover or turn under all cotton except the desired hills, which preferably should be spaced about two feet on. centers. Blocking may also be done, if desired, by hond labor. whereby the unwanted plants are removed by hoeing or by any mechanical contrivance which will, in etiect7 remove the unwanted plants. After blocking the cotton should, in genera-l, be swept at once. For the next two or three weeks sweeping is continued as often as may be necessary to keep all youngf grass covered, preferably at least once a week.

When about .six weeks old the cotton will have grown i0 a fairly substantiel size. each stalk being. say about lli" in diameter and om 4" to 6" tall. By this time he obnoxious etation will have become very difficult to control by sweeping alone, The application of heat now be employed to effect the destruction oi the obnoxious vegetation. As previouslyv noted, the preferred form of applying the heat is in the form of a flame.

A protracted series of experiments and tests in diameter by 6" long, generated by t, i voporization and combustion ol kerosene in a hand blow torch, direct Contact ith the hottest Dart oi' the ame for a period o time varying from to 3 seconds is required to eilcct the destruction of the obnoxious vegetation. Six week old cotton plants, on the other hand, will withstand a ame of similar' size and intensity, when directed upon the around at the base of the stalk, for from l5 to 3G seconds, without injury to the plant itself. By suitably controlling the method of applying the llame, theintensity and size of the flame or flames, sufficient heat may be applied to the obnoxious v rotation to cllert iis destruction without doing substantially :my inlury to the cotton. For example, a man or a crew oi' nien, each equipped with a torch type burner and accessories may remove the obnoxious vegetation 'by simply directing the the desired points all over the desired aree they traverse the cotton eld 'oy moving up end ovm the rows. For this purpose l' have found that e, lcme of from 2" to 4 in. diameter und from i8 to 36" long, as generated oy lie vaoorizetion und combustion o hydrocarbon cli .listes suoli es ses@ line, kerosene, or furnace oil, is satisfactory. While tne sfoove is the sise of flame, larger or smaller flames may used. enel riot intended to be preclulee. The flame so ated is most effective when it is caused inipinge upon the ground et or neer miti-point, which, in genera-l, is tne point ci maximum fleurie temperature.

in the practice of this from cultivation flame may be directed eitlier to eeci, the destruction or the obnoxious vegetation over the entire aree of the row, center eno all, or over only e, limited aree., say two to four inches ou both sides of the row. ln general l2 'oreer the letter procedure, es eA lower unit cost is involved and since obnoxious vegetation in the center may be controlled by plowing. Eitlo however, is e. materiel iinsroveme vious methods of cultivation er as desired.

Although it is not essentiel, that tile cotton be swept each ouzming. Burning may be repeated es citen es is Recess y to suppress the obnoxious vegetation, piei-u bly once e Weel: for the next :tour to sin: weeks or ui .il

plants efe obtei [is the plants grow olclei, i'noze intense heet for longer intervals cl' time may applied to effect the destruction of the obnoxious ifegetotion, Without injury to cotton tlierlrselves, in the letter stages of growth, obnoxious vegetation oi 'practically may ce removed oy lfiti foune: cotton,

exercis cl to prevent irithis reason` it is Y* lee sweet during tiie ne: citen enough get-etico procedure,

over` preroey oe however, co

ury to the cott ervel 'o lor to berlines quent enough so as to insure obnoxious ion reaches en of -orme ol" obnoxious vegen, n e e ost iii-- stently "oy the torch the letL ep plied as soon as obnoxious vegetation loreelrs tnr ugh tiie While my metl od permits tl/ie more eolcierit utilization of s l end is also e control ol 'cesti moet' and @gusci conditions.

ing pleut is ce Clisson the cotton left until oeils operi. in :may then picked, eitloeta by friend leoor or ey mechanical cievice, as desire-ci.

ln tlie practice oi roy invention explained, menue' transportation. o1 and accessory equi nt, sucia es the is necessary. lfliil tical, especially for Li. u

convenient enel regis specie/l orcos,

this i moll c o in general l 'prefer the burners, eil' pump, fuel tanks other accessory equipment 'oe mounted in s, suitable advantageous manner on e vehicle which my loe drown by beasts of burden or by mechanical power, suoli as o tractor. V'Jhen e tractor is available en additional vehicle is, in general, unnecessary as the equipment can 'ne mounted directly on the tractor itseli1 to goed advantage, as shown in the erobofiiinent illustrated Figures l and 2.

now to Figures and 2, I have shown e, tractor of kno-'cm construction, Comprising dirigilole wheels l at the front and driving wheels 2 e', the rear. The iront wheels i are steered by e. suitable steering mechanism including the steering;F wheel operating mechanism in the front post il to steer the tractor as desired. The front and rear wheels lare connected by a suitable chessis frame upon this from@ and partly in it is mounted s power plaint including an intermal combustion engine lieving suitable fuel supply mea-ris, en exhaust pipe, and suitable controls for governing the starting, Stopping, and speed of the engine. The tractor is provided with en automatic speed governor for maintaining a fused. speed, es is well known the ort. coolsystem, including the radiator E, is mounted at tlie :trout end of the chassis frame and a suitable nooit 1, which forms e protection for the engine emi houses fuel and we* tanks for the eneine, extencls rearwardly from the top or" the radiator ti. The tractor is provided with e suitable sect 3 for the operator, and in convenient position from seat are the usuel controls for governing the operation of the tractor. The rear wheels E spaced to so outside of two rows and the front Wheels l are located so as to travel between the seme two rows, es is clear from Figure 2. This type of tractor, commonly employed lor agricultural purposes, is equipped with e. crossbax il at the front. The cross bei' S is secured to the freine o the tractor as oy means of brackets This type of 'tractor is frequently sup plied with sweeps either extending in front of the cross bar .3 or to the rear or the serne, Liliewise, at the rear of the tractor eJ similar cross 'oer if.' mounts the rear sweeps i3 upon a suitable mounting arm lil'. A .similar erm connected to the cross oer Q et the iront may normally support sweeps such as those et but, in the present construction, there is nele rootuited upon the lower 'pe-rt of the erm i5 e of oil burners l5. Z131 means or e lever il or like equipment. and through the connecting arms ill, EQ and connecting rod the sweeps i3 and. the burners l may loe raised and lowererl. Suitable bracing means (not shown) may be employed for supporting the sweeps burners. Power mechanism may be employed, ii' desired, to isc and lower these parts.

s of brackets 23. E13 the indi- The :ners are adiustes to height in the brackets 33 as by means .set screw adjustment 1n each of the of but rs here shown inve indicated i'our iriiviouel burners f* but obviously the o ey be larger or smaller, as desired` The oui-ners 25 rosy generate a i'ree freine of from 2" to 521/2 iu diameter by l2" to 16" long, and they ere spaced from the surface of the ground distance of approximately o", in the specific instance here illustrated, so that the les from these burners keine the ,grouno acci tire stems high temperature flame for a short perol time.

The principle of selectively causing injury 'oy the application of "neat is applicable to plants of the same kind oi direrent. size, as may be seen in Figure 5. Assume that the older plant and the younger plant fll are subjected to the same projected heat, it will be obvious that the younger plant als will perish before the older plant is seriously affected. Quite obviously', as between vegetation of a lig structure, such as blades of grass, and that ol lieayier structure, suoli as stemmed plants, is a Wide margin which my invention may se inployecl to taire advantage of.

My copending application, Serial Number 364i,- 140, led November fr, will, as a division oli tile instant application, discloses and claims app"- ratus suitable for practicing the method of the present invention.

llfliile I have indicated tile referred manner in which the method of my invention loe practiced, it is to loe understood that the above specic illustration is out one exemplilcation of the basic concept, and do not intend to be limited by the specino illustration except as the following clair-ns are specifically directed to the saine.

In the more or schematic showing of Figures l and 2, four burners on eacli side ol each row are shown. Obviously tlie number oi burriers may vary with local conditions and iti'erent crops. However, the burners shown, when attached to a tractor running four i "es per hour and generating llames from 2^ to 2,2" in diana eter by l2" to i6 long ii directed i to free space, are on the average satisfactcnll-iyation ol` cotton as previously outlined. other row crops, or other local or unusual conditions, eitner fewer or ore 'ourners may be used as required, and it o e understood that the size of plants determines to extent the inte ty and amount oi lleat which will withstand Without ry, the i ator is eX- pected 'to vary the p occdure. accolningly.

One great advantage oi tile oi es -t system of cultivation is that entof the soil cono" tions. Eilat though one ground might is too We l'ation "oy plow ig or sweet; invention se employed i; sie enough to s oto-ort the tractor, or f f veyance slutaole for ne application of in accordance with 'my invention.

The sweeps s' Figure at the rear ci tne tractor are prei@ =oly employed immediat-ely after flaming, lout it is understood that this is optional and tney lay ne dispensed 1th,

The operation :Cia-mln accolring to my in vention, aooear retarding eect upc; teer or noxious o oi as destroyed f the nain fig. other a. ling appears to give ieater setback to pla t '"2 does equivalent injury nieclianltitle lFor v said blasts bat/ning 2. The rneliod of selective suppression of obnoxious vegetation growing about stemmed crop plants which comprises subjecting the obnoxious vegetation and the lower parts of the standing crop plants simultaneously to a olast of fluid at a temperature in excess oi the boiling point of water, and for a time limited to that which will injure the obnoxious vegetation yitliout substantial injury to the crop plant.

3. The method o destroying obnoxious yege tation growing about standing stemmed plants which comprises directing a blast of ilame upon the ground adjacent the plants to bathe the obnoxious Vegetation and the stems of the standing plants in name and removing the ame after the obnoxious vegetation is i ured and before the plants receive substantial injury.

ll. Method oi treating a standing row of stemmed crop plants to suppress obnoxious vegetation growing about crop plants which comprises directing blasts of liot fluid upon the ground, one on. each side of the standing row, the vegetation and the stems of the standing crop plants simultaneously in the hot uid and root-ing the blasts oi not fluid along the row at a rate which will continue the application neat long enough to injure the obuoio loos vegetation without substantial injury to tlie crop plants.

5. rllie method oi selectively suppressing ona noxious vegetation growing about crop vegetation which comprises subjecting ootn forros of vegetation, simultaneously and for a period of time long enough to produce injury to the obnoxious vegetation without substantial injury to the crop Vegetation, to a blast o not `fluid carrying the vapor of a compound the melting point of which is above the freezing point of water.

G. The method of treating a :row of cotton plants to suppress obnoxious vegetation growing about the plants, which comprises directing blasts of not iiuicl comprising hydrocarbon flames upon the ground, on each side o the row, said blasts bathing the vegetation and the sterns of the plants simultaneously in the Snotluid, and moving the blasts of 'not fluid along the row at a rate wlilclfi will continue the application of heat long enough to injure the obnoxious vegetation Without injury to the cotton plants.

'.7. ll/leti'lod oi selectively suppressing undesired Vegetation growing indiscriminately among standing crop plai ts that are more resistant to heat than is said undesired vegetation, which comprises siiriultaneously subjecting the undesired vegetation and the standing crop plants to :mense locally applied heat for a time long enough to do material injury to said undesired Vegetation Without doing material injury to said crop piani-s.

8. Method oi suppressing grass growing about stemmed crop plants, which comprises si'bjecting the grass and the stems o the standing crop plants simultaneously to locally applied lice-.t until the grassis burned, and discontinuing the neat before the stemmed crop plants are substantially injured.

9. vl'etliod of suppressing obnoxious Vegetation growing about a standing stemmed crop plant which comprises simultaneously lic-ating locally the obnoxious vegetation and the oi the standing crop plant and discor. inuing be after tlie obnoxious vegetation bee lnjuriously heated and before the stemmed crop 'plant na-s been injuriously heated.

1G. the cultivation of stemmed crop fr el lo;

growing in a row, the method oi selectively suppressing weeds among the crop plants in and along the row which comprises projecting hydrocarbon ame against the ground adje-cent the bases of the stems of the crop plants on each o side of the row, and bathing the 'weeds ami the bases of the stems oi the crop plants im said. flame, and moving said llames along the row a rate of movement which will allow the flames to burn 'the weeds without doing' sul=sta^"ial injury to the stemmed crop plants in row.

11. In the cultivation of stennzecl c op plants growing in a row, the method. of selective pressing weeds among the crop olaz along the row which comprises project drocarbon ame against the ground adjacent the bases of the stems of the crop plants on each side of the rowY and. bathing the weeds and the leases of the stems oi the er' 'pl ,nts With seid. moving: said flames alonc inl e ow at a movement which will allow the eines to burn i weeds without doing substantiel inj' stemmed crop plants in the rowl taneously shielding the upper fr stemmed erop plants from the l2. Method or' suppre sing yolur growing about a stemming row o which comprises projecting a l downwardly alongside the crop l.

Nits the rev;

to strike the volunteer' vegeta .on and n to more the tntial illj are substantially ir umd..

l5. Method or s i pressi heat than the 'volt which comprises applyip t cally to the lower parts o in succession and sim the cro plants, the sain applica ing of short enough our stantially the erop plants in enough to do s vegetation.

16. En the cultivation of crop the process oi' selecy destroying tant volunteer reset-stan cles' which volunteer vegeta lo jury h CTS l ,aile

Llame are the crop plants which comprises projecting 'elast ol from a iuid fuel hurnU er upon. the ground ul'ieroloy the frame is spread out and bathes the bases of the crop plants and eoneorsitant 'fe-lum er vegetation simultaneously and indiscri iinatelv in hot g of the llame for time l enolgh to produce a clestructve cile-ct e volunteer vegetation and removing the llame off aC been to the e ore substantial inop plants.

l?. method oi destroying voi'I wsteer Vcge* tation c weeds growing about a crop plant, which volunteer' vegetaton is less resistarneapplied at substantially the surface 15 of the ground than are the crop plants, whrch comprises directing a llame from a luid fuel `surner along the surface of the ground about the volunteer vegetation the bases of the crop plants to selec voy ou the volunteer vegetation without substantial inplry to the crop plants. 18. ln a stanti oi' vegetai n consisting oi' crop plants ai weeds wherein the weeds arc less capable of surviving the applicatie-n of llame along the su' ce ol the ground than are the crop plants the method o selecl destroying weeds which com looting flame. from burnsA diagonally downwar rd the grouncl plants and the to h bases o crop weeds in he hot gares of th herne, to an extent which will :lo substantial carnage to the weeds mo' 'ng the lr ner laterally past the crop plants oeore substantial in'ury is clone to the ,Ln s sta il. of vegetation consisting of crop nfl weeds wherein the weeds are less cag oi surviving the application ol iilame than plants, the method of selectively Weeds which comprises projecting a. agonally oownwardly toward, the ground .e substantially 'transverse to the row, :e striizine *l e ground. at the side of the row extending along the ground to subject the leases of; the crop plants and the weeds in the to the hot the flame, and simuly moving the haine laterally along the sul stantielly a predetermined rate of suhiect the plants the row anzi cent them te. the heat of the llame he crop plants hut long enough jury to the weefls. of row cultivation o growing ue which is characterizes by development or substantial length of stem, which comprises, in the earlier stages of growth rnt plowing along the row on each he growth of volunteer vegetation i; e row until the crop plants cleostantial length of stem whereby the rants become more resistant to high terne, heat applied locally at the surface of r does the retarded volunteer vegen projecting a downwardly and .ly onto the ground in the vicinity of the to bathe the eases of the crop plants I volunteer vegetation in the hot gases of .aree for 'time nt to cau e substanrlaznagge to th volunteer vegetation, and moving iarne away before the crop plants utially injured.

e method oi' claim l wherein the applied temperature eat is of the order of 'that mth or four burners each hair- .lame about "No to two and @ne l1 :inches aaeaaoez 14h22. Method of cultivating cotton planted in a` Yrow from an early stage otgrowth to an advanced stage of growth which comprises plowing one or more times along each side of the row of young plants to uproot weed growth along the sides of the row and to sweep soil toward the center of the rowvwhereby to discourage weed growth in and along the row until the plants are about six weeks old at which time they have developed a substantial length of free stem, then projecting flame diagonally downward upon the ground at the side of the row crosswise of 'the row to bathe the lower ends of the stems of the crop plants in the row and the weed growth in and alone,r the row inname, vand simultaneously moving the name along the row whereby the weed growth and the stems of the plants are subjected to the hot gases of the name long enough to selectively injure the weed growth. without substantial injury to the crop plants.

23. The method of cultivating a row of crop plants which comprises performing mechanical cultivating operations along the row while the plants are ln an early stage of their growth to discourage weed growth adjacent said plants in and along the row, to enable said plants to asquire a substantial advantage in growth over the weeds in and along the row, and thereafter discouraging weed growth in and along the row ad-r jacent said plants by projecting name rom a burner against the weeds and the base portion of the plants to bathe the same in names, and moving the burner along the row at asteady rate subjecting the weed growth and crop plants to the action of the flame for a period of approxi mately 1l-6 second to 3G seconds, depending upon the stage of growth, whereby to cause the name to substantially injure the weed growth Without substantially injuring the crop plants.

PRICE CHRENLEIGH MCLEMORE. 

